Ford revealed its new Glare-Free Highbeam tech back in 2016, which has since launched on a variety of vehicles in Europe, including the Ford Edge, S-Max, and Galaxy, and works alongside the automaker’s existing Adaptive Front Lighting System. However, it wasn’t until early this year that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule that allows adaptive driving beam headlights to be used on new vehicles in the U.S. Regardless, Ford headlight tech continues to advance, as the automaker has now come up with units that can project images onto the road ahead.
Much like a head-up display projects useful information on the windshield in front of the driver, allowing them to keep their eyes on the road, this new Ford headlight tech can project all sorts of things on the road ahead, including weather information, speed limits, or navigation directions. This could be useful if the weather is experiencing sudden changes, or if the driver should be warned of an icy road ahead. It’s even possible that this technology could help a driver determine if their vehicle can fit in a narrow gap or parking spot.
Aside from providing an extra layer of convenience, this technology aims to make driving safer, particularly as 40 percent of accidents in the UK happen during the night time, while taking one’s eyes off the road even for a split second greatly increases the risk of a collision. Additionally, these new headlights could also help protect pedestrians from oncoming vehicles by projecting a crosswalk where one doesn’t exist, or guiding the driver around a pedestrian or cyclist.
“What started as playing around with a projector light and a blank wall could take lighting technologies to a whole new level,” said Lars Junker, features and software, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Ford of Europe. “There’s the potential now to do so much more than simply illuminate the road ahead, to help reduce the stress involved in driving at night. The driver could get essential information without ever needing to take their eyes off the road.”
We’ll have more on this new Ford headlight technology soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Show of hands: how many want all this cake icing and how many want present technology perfected?
I would hope this might be part of perfecting current technology. We have the heads-up display on our Lincoln Corsair and like it a lot, but could think of ways to improve it. You really notice it missing when you drive another car without it.
Call me old fashioned, but, I want a car that is mechanically reliable, safe, and fun to drive.
I do not want a video game with tires. This applies to HUDs, headlights with special effects, selfie-taking cameras, an entire car build around its entertainment system (Chevy Seeker), or shopping, which MoPar just dropped for lack of customer interest I am led to understand.